A native of Chicago’s Westside, Baron Waller had a usual path to becoming one of the fastest growing franchise owners of the Culver’s restaurant brand in the country.
Waller grew up in the North Lawndale neighborhood with a single mother and four siblings before eventually moving to the Chatham neighborhood on Chicago’s Southside. Though they settled in well, Waller and his brother attended Lane Tech High School and would have to commute for more than an hour each way to and from school. After high school, Baron graduated Baron graduated magna cum laude from Wayne State University with a triple major in business management, marketing, and computer science. He continued his studies. earning an MBA at the University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business in Ann Arbor.
After holding various positions at Crain Communications and IBM for more than two decades, one day Waller walked into a Culver’s restaurant with his son and was soon on a completely different life path. Before he knew it, he was opening his first Culver’s in New Lenox, Illinois. Before long, Waller opened a restaurant in the heart of Bronzeville, the first Culver’s inside Chicao’s city limits.
Most recently in 2022, Baron was awarded a prestigious Chicago Neighborhood Development Award from LISC for bringing the first sit-down dining restaurant to the Pullman neighborhood in more than 30 years along with 70 new jobs.
N’DIGO recently sat down with Waller to talk about his unusual start in business, his best professional advice, and of course, all things Culver’s.
N’DIGO: In your own words, who is Baron Waller?
Baron Waller: Baron Waller is a Black man, He is a Christian, He is a proud husband and father. He is a Chicagoan from the Westside. Baron is someone who just tries to live in his purpose and have a positive impact on the lives of people.
During your younger years, did you always see yourself as being a successful businessman or did you dream of another profession?
Other than wanting to be a baseball player like Ernie Banks and Fergie Jenkins in my pre-teens, I really had no idea. There was no particular dream. I didn’t realize my potential at the time.
What was the turning point that changed the trajectory of your life and set you on the path to becoming a business owner?
Honestly I don’t feel like there was a single turning point that changed things. Moreso there were a certain number of crossroads that happened and opportunities that led to more opportunities that I was smart enough to take advantage of. Whether it was my starting at Crane Communications as a file clerk and moving into dating processing and IT and onto becoming a systems analyst, or getting my Associate’s Degree then Bachelor’s and quitting Crane to pursue my MBA and then ending up at IBM. Everything sort of played into the next thing.
What was it about Culver’s that made you decide to open your first restaurant with them?
It was all kinda happenstance and random. One day while taking my son out to grab a bite, we ended up going into a Culvers and from the moment we walked in I was taken aback by the level of service and care in which the staff took care of us. I couldn’t believe it. The next week I took my wife….and then my brother. I wanted everyone to see it for themselves and after a while I thought that maybe I should open one. One of the things I was also wowed by is you really get to own your franchise. Not just the name but actually owning the equipment in the restaurant and owning the building. True independent ownership.
Can you talk about your strategy in regards to choosing your restaurant locations?
I just really like the idea of bringing this experience to places that wouldn’t otherwise have them. I was blessed to open the first Culvers in all of Chicago right in Bronzeville. I knew the Pullman area restaurant would be a success because there aren’t many dine-in restaurants there which is unbelievable because we have money to spend and want a good dining experience like anyone else. Also, being able to impact these communities positively and provide jobs is another blessing.
What are three of your personal keys to business?
- Make a plan.
- Get out and network and talk with people.
- Be open to change.
Can you name a book that changed or really impacted your life?
There are truly so many but a few immediate ones that come to mind are the Bible. Richard Wright‘s Black Boy, Ralph Ellison‘s Invisible Man, and The Autobiography of Malcolm X with Alex Haley. All of these helped to shape and inspire me.
What’s something people would be surprised to know about you?
I don’t think too many people know that I have an identical twin brother Byron who is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Counseling at Governors State University.
Best advice or words of wisdom to young entrepreneurs?
Once you make your plan, work your plan. Be patient with it. It won’t happen overnight. And remember to not take everything personal.
Favorite quote or affirmation?
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” – Proverbs 3:5-6
What’s next for Baron Waller
I simply plan to keep doing what I’ve been doing. Making a positive impact on people and helping to provide opportunities and jobs in underserved neighborhoods.
